This invention relates generally to medical thermometers and, more particularly, to electronic thermometers that estimate, or predict, a patient's temperature based on a series of samples of a probe-mounted temperature sensor.
Medical thermometer's of this particular kind have been in common use in the clinical environment for many years. The thermometers typically include an elongated probe configured for convenient oral, rectal, or axillary use, with a thermistor mounted within the probe's remote tip. In use, a hygienic, plastic probe cover is placed over the probe, and the probe is then applied to its appropriate location on the patient, whereupon the temperature of the probe and thermistor begin to rise toward the patient temperature. The thermometer periodically samples the thermistor signal and, using one of several known algorithms, predicts the thermistor's eventual temperature. This temperature prediction is displayed long before the thermistor's temperature actually reaches that predicted temperature.
Various prediction algorithms have been used in the past, all of them providing reasonably accurate temperature predictions as quickly as about 30 seconds after the thermometers are applied to the patients. This represents a marked improvement over the time delays encountered using more traditional glass thermometers, which typically are on the order of about 3 minutes. The time delay is primarily due to the heat capacity of the probe and the fact that applying the probe to the patient, e.g., beneath the tongue, draws down the temperature of the tissue in the immediate region of the probe.
Although prior prediction-type electronic thermometers have proven to be highly successful in the clinical environment, there is still a need for a further improved thermometer that can provide accurate predictions of a patient's actual temperature in substantially less time than generally was achievable in the past. At the same time, however, the thermometer must not sacrifice accuracy for speed and must be of durable construction able to withstand frequent use on multiple patients. The thermometer also must be substantially insensitive to variations in the particular manner in which the thermometer is applied to the patient. The present invention fulfills these needs.